Paradysagrion, Archibald & Cannings, 2024

Archibald, S. Bruce & Cannings, Robert A., 2024, Three new Odonata species (cf. Cephalozygoptera and cf. Dysagrionidae) from the early Eocene Okanagan Highlands of British Columbia, Canada, and Washington, United States of America, The Canadian Entomologist (e 35) 156, pp. 1-9 : 5-6

Genus Paradysagrion gen. nov.

ZooBank Registration number: rn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 9540B488-96D6-4697-BCCE-82C7BAE16E10

Figure 2

Diagnosis. Preserved wing portion most similar to that of Dysagrion Scudder by: pterostigma about 6.3 times longer than wide [ Dysagrion species: 4.0–7.5]; many intercalated linear (or nearly so) supplementary sectors between main veins from RP1 to probably CuA (see below; cf. figures of Archibald et al. 2021, cited below); IR1 linear from origin as in Dysagrion fredericii Scudder (see Archibald et al. 2021, fig. 6), slightly zigzagged in Dysagrion pruettae Archibald and Cannings (see Archibald et al. 2021, figs. 17–18) and Dysagrion lakesii Scudder (see Archibald et al. 2021, fig. 5), fully zigzagged in Dysagrion packardii Scudder (see Archibald et al. 2021, fig. 4).

It differs from wings of Dysagrion by: (1) RA, RP1, IR1 subparallel to apex, apex between terminus of RA, RP1 [ Dysagrion : converging at apex, RA at or near apex]; (2) CuA (presumed, see below) linear to termination [ Dysagrion : heavily zigzagged]; (3) no brace vein [present in D. pruettae ; region poorly or not preserved in other species]; (4) RA–RP1 space between pterostigma and apex three cells wide in most of distal half, seven at margin [ Dysagrion : one]; (5) C–RA space distal to pterostigma two cells wide [ Dysagrion : one]; (6) RP1, IR1, and RP2 spaces, each with two linear supplementary sectors, terminate with similar widths [ Dysagrion : without supplementary sectors, and RP1, IR1 terminate very close, IR1, RP2 not]; and (7) subnodus distinctly angled with normal obliquity [ Dysagrion : reverse obliquity].

Description. As for its only species, below.

Etymology. The genus name is formed from the Greek -para, “alongside,” and Dysagrion , referring to similarities of its wings to those of that genus. Gender, neuter.

Remarks. Dysagrion (cf. Archibald et al. 2021, figs. 4–6, 16–18) is also known from exposure B4131 of the Klondike Mountain Formation. Its most similar species, D. fredericii , is from the Green River Formation of Wyoming, also in the latter portion of the Ypresian.

Figures

Figure 2. Paradysagrion sosbyae gen. and sp. nov. holotype SR 23-005-003: A, photograph of the part (A-side); B, drawing from the part and counterpart. Both to scale; the scalebar is 5 mm.